Someone to live for
by Petra Delling
Summary: Mirai timeline- t/p- Trunks is lonely and depressed (after destroying the androids) until he meets a black haired girl (wink) w/ a high ki and decides to train her, even though he does not know anything about her. The two get closer together. ch2 is up
1. Chapter 1

Alright, the Androids are dead, Trunks is alive. He left Capsule Corp after his mom died b/c the memories were too painful. Now he just travels around in the wilderness, training in case someone else shows up and tries to take over earth. The stage opens in a barren desert land where Trunks is alone and very depressed.  
  
Trunks sighed. His life stunk. Even one of those terribly optimistic perky people would not be able to find one good thing about it. Well, maybe one. He was alive. Trunks Vegeta Briefs was one of the only surviving humans on earth and the strongest warrior. He was the people's savior, the few of them that were left. His mother was dead, Gohan was dead, everyone was dead. There was only one thing that stopped him from dying. He was the sole protector of the world. Anyone could attack at anytime, and he had to be ready. The thing that had been hammered into him since birth was that Earth must always have a protector. All the legendary warriors from the past had passed away themselves. Faces flashed in his mind. Goku, Gohan, Bulma, Vegeta, Kurillin, Picciolo, Chi Chi, all of those noble and happy people were gone. No matter how dire the situation, there had always been joy among the Z-Sensei. He remembered seeing them feasting in the middle of troublesome times, and always finding humor in every situation. But those times were no more. He could only be happy that he had had the chance to go back in time and change the future's of those warriors and see their fellowship and happiness. Those had been the best days of his life. Trunks knew that if all of those admirable people were still alive, then those times could be regenerated, but it was just him. No one else had made it. What crooked twist of fate had made it so?  
  
Trunks stood up and threw his arms upward yelling loudly, letting all of the torment out of his soul, "WHY!"  
  
It was his Saiya-jin pride alone that kept him from weeping.  
  
"Um, excuse me," Trunks spun around in a flash. He had not been paying attention and someone had been able to sneak up on him! He needed to stop despairing. Trunks landed in fighting stance and was shocked to see a little girl standing before him. She spoke again, "excuse me, I was wondering if you could give me directions to West City."  
  
"Umm.yeah," Trunks was startled. This meeting was out of the blue. What was this little girl doing in the middle of the desert? "It's about a weeks journey on foot, north of here."  
  
"Thank you very much." The girl replied and walked off in the direction he had indicated. Trunks was startled. What was all that about? No matter. This had proven to him that he needed to pay more attention. Trunks expanded his senses, the girl's ki was the only one he could sense for miles. Wait! The girl's ki! It was so high for a human! She had such fighting potential. He had to stop her, and get her to train with him! He needed a successor. He had to do something, now.  
  
"Wait!" Trunks called out. The girl stopped as Trunks jogged over to her. He inspected her carefully as he neared her. She had straight ebony hair pulled back in a braid on her back. She wore a ragged red fighting gi and black boots. The only thing she carried was a small leather bag. Trunks decided that he had misjudged her age, despite her petite form, she must be in her teens, no more than ten years younger than himself.  
  
She was frowning and spoke to him harshly, "What is it?"  
  
Trunks managed to spit something about before she left again, "Um. I was just wondering how you are going to make the distance to West City without food and supplies."  
  
"I can take care of myself," She began to turn around but stopped, "Is that all?"  
  
"No!" Trunks answered urgently and struggled to come up with something, finally deciding to be blunt, "I would like to train you. A little while ago I defeated the androids," at their name the girl flinched, but Trunks continued, "and, well, I need a successor, someone to protect earth after I die."  
  
"You don't look like you're going to die anytime soon."  
  
"I know, I'm young yet, but what if someone else attacks and I am killed, the Earth will be left unprotected. I, I can tell that you're strong and will be able to learn what I can teach you."  
  
"What can you teach me?"  
  
"To fly, fire blasts from your hands, fight, disappear momentarily, oh, the things I can teach you are endless! Will you train with me? I know this is out of the blue and you have no reason to trust me, but please, train with me!"  
  
The girl looked down, thinking, before asking Trunks a question, "What is your name?"  
  
"Trunks." Trunks answered quickly, wondering at the question.  
  
The girl looked a little surprised, thought for a little while longer before looking up with a goofy smile that seemed familiar and replying, "My name is Pan, and I would love to train with you."  
  
"Concentrate!" Trunks snapped at his pupil as they sparred a few feet about a small clearing in a mountain valley. Pan frowned and tried to focus, but was knocked down by her teacher a few minutes later.  
  
"Sorry Trunks. I will try again." Pan crawled back up to her feet and stood in the flawless fighting stance she had developed, waiting for an attack. Instead, her teacher landed and walker over to the supplies.  
  
"That's enough for now Pan, we could both use a break." Trunks watched Pan as she debated whether to protest that she did not need a break or accept his offer. Pan decided she was tired and walked to the stream to wet her face and drink. When she returned Trunks handed her a towel and spoke, "You are improving Pan, you are a very fast learner and I am proud of your progress."  
  
Pan grunted and replied, "I am still not strong enough, you should leave and get yourself a better student, Trunks." The two communicated very casually, Trunks had requested that Pan call him by his name instead of the traditional Sensei because of all the memories of Gohan it brought back (though he had not told her this). They never talked about their past, unless Trunks was referring to a strategy used in a battle he had fought in. There were no awkward questions, just avoidence. Both understood that the other had lost something to the Androids, but that was the past. They had been training together for about a month, and Pan was a very fast learner.  
  
"Strength is not everything Pan, there is a story about a man whose only wish was to be the strongest. So many times he came so close to being the strongest, but always there was someone above him. He trained constantly, neglecting everything."  
  
"Did he ever become the strongest?"  
  
"No, he died in third place." Pan did not say anything. Trunks had sobered himself by speaking of his father, and had to fight to keep a tear from slipping out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"Come on, lets spar again." Pan spoke and flew back to the clearing, waiting for him. Trunks grinned and sent her a ki blast as answer to her invitation.  
  
Trunks watched the flames play across Pan's face in the low light as she slept. She was wonderful. He had more than one reason for living now. There was someone for him to care for and to know personally. She had managed to bring a little joy into his existence. It was not that she was a perky person, not at all. Pan was generally quiet, with almost a sorrow to her, as he expected he was also. Her fervor for training, however, inspired him, and the dry jokes she would make mid-battle were constantly surprising him. There were also those occasional times when both of them would laugh hysterically at something that would not have been funny had they been alone.  
  
Despite how well they now knew each other, Pan was still a mystery. She had had basic fighting abilities before he began training her and he suspected that some of the exercises about controlling her ki she had done before. She also knew a lot about survival, like fishing, hunting, and woodsmanship. He also discovered that she was a very talented swimmer, much better than he, when they were camping by a lake one night and she insisted on taking a swim. The mystery did not trouble him however, he was happy enough to have Pan with him. Besides, if she spilled her past, he would have to spill his own also, and it was still too tragic for him to relate.  
  
Oddly enough, she reminded him of Gohan sometimes. The depthless black hair of hers, despite the fact that it did not stick up as Gohan's had, reminded him of Gohan's hair. And then there was that smile he had seen on the day they met, the goofy grin that she seldom used but existed nonetheless. Somehow it too reminded him of the days long gone.  
  
Pan stirred in her sleep, interrupting Trunks' train of thought. He should probably get some sleep, he had been a wake a few hours longer than Pan, all that time she had gained would give her extra energy during their spars tomorrow. She was getting much better, he had to keep on his toes. Trunks brushed a few escaping strands of hair from Pan's braid off of her face and crawled into his sleeping bag across the fire from her.  
  
"Come on, lets go for a swim!" Pan interrupted the silence, prodding Trunks in his side.  
  
Trunks groaned and replied, "Pan, we swam this morning!"  
  
"It's good exercise."  
  
"No."  
  
Pan smirked, "Fine, if your too wimpy than I'll swim by myself." Pan sauntered away, picking up the sleeveless red gi that she swam in from where it was drying by the fire and slipping behind some bushes to change. Trunks growled and stood up, grabbing the boxers he swam in from where they were hanging by the fire and went behind some (different) bushes to change. He hurried, hoping that he could arrive at the lake before Pan and surprise her.  
  
Trunks finished changing soon and flew down to the lake. He quickly slipped into the water and hide behind a handy log. Pan came down to the water a few moments later, whistling, a sure sign that she was in a good mood. She walked over to a rock ledge above the water and dove in. She was so graceful and beautiful. Trunks shook his head, ridding his mind of those traitorous thoughts as Pan came nearer. Trunks ducked under water and swam over to where she was floating on her back. Once arriving, he grabbed both of her feet and pulled her under. The two emerged from the water a few moments late, Trunks laughing and Pan livid.  
  
"Come here Trunks! I'll get you!"  
  
Pan swam furiously towards him, but Trunks slipped away, laughing still. For a few more minutes Pan chased Trunks around the lake until she managed to catch up with him and get him in a headlock. She had her arm around his neck and her face leaning over his shoulder.  
  
"Alright! I give!" Trunks sputtered as Pan knocked his head around. She stopped after these words and Trunks turned his head to look at her. She was grinning furiously, and before Trunks could respond, she brought her face up against his and gave him a quick peck on the lips before releasing him and swimming away, laughing at his confusion.  
  
She had kissed him! She liked him! Pan, the most perfect living woman in the universe, kissed him! Wait, she was getting away! Trunks forced thoughts of the kiss out of his mind as he continued to chase the woman he was falling in love with around the pool.  
  
The second kiss took place two days later. They were still camped by the lake, Pan had just finished braiding her long, black hair which was still drying from the short swim she had taken. It was her turn to cook. She was standing over a large capsulizable cauldron cooking fish stew. Trunks decided it was time they moved on. Pan, he knew loved the water, but they needing to keep moving. They had already been here for two weeks, and some instinct told him that they should not stay too long in one place. So, it was time to move.  
  
Trunks walked over to the cauldron, on the opposite side. The cauldron was about two feet wide, considering his large appetite and Pan's oddly large one, it was a good thing that it was so big.  
  
"Pan," Trunks began, "we need to move on tomorrow. Where do you want to go?"  
  
Pan looked thoughtful and waiting a few moments before responding, "How about the desert, we haven't trained there in a while and I need to train in all conditions."  
  
"Alright Pan." Trunks replied and compulsively leaned over the cauldron, pecking her lightly on the lips. Trunks moved away quickly, afraid of her reaction. Did he, however, see a hint of red touching her cheeks?  
  
The second kiss was followed by a third, and a fourth, and a fifth, until they found themselves wrapped in each other's arms several times a day. One night, about a year after Trunks and Pan had first met, the two were lying by the fire, Pan's head on Trunks' chest, he with his arm around her. It was a peaceful night in the forest where they were staying, a stream ran nearby and they could hear it gurgling softly.  
  
"Pan?" Trunks spoke, breaking the stillness.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I think I love you." Trunks held his breath, waiting for a reply.  
  
Pan laughed, "I love you too."  
  
Neither of them moved. Stillness and silence reigned for a few more minutes, before Trunks interrupted it, once again, "I guess we should get married."  
  
"Trunks," Pan whispered and Trunks flinched, was she going to refuse him? "Trunks, you don't know anything about my past."  
  
"Dearheart, I don't care if your parents were androids. I love you and I want to marry you. I also have a past that you do not know about. I will share it with you, if you wish."  
  
Trunks could almost feel Pan smile, "No, Trunks, we will share some other time. Let's get married."  
  
They flew, hand in hand, to a small church in a mountain village the next morning. The wedding was nothing fancy at all. Both were wearing their cleanest fighting gis and exchanged vows alone in the church with the minister, who was thrilled to see the union of a couple so obviously in love. Maybe Earth could piece itself back together after all. For their honeymoon, they returned to the spot where the first two kisses were exchanged.  
  
Life was bliss for the two newly weds. They were always laughing. Both managed not to think about the dreadful things they had seen and concentrate and revel only in their newfound love. Nothing could go wrong, and nothing did.  
  
Alright, that's it for ch 1! More to come, I promise! So far there has really been no conflict, and what is a story w/o conflict??  
  
I really like writing this. Eventually Pan and Trunks will share secrets and maybe even travel for a visit to the alternate universe Gohan and company live in. Please review to inspire me to continue. 


	2. Chapter 2

Hey! Here is the next chapter! I'm sorry that this has taken so long! I'm afraid that despite the fact that I don't have a life, I'm not going to have enough time to do a new chapter during the weekdays! I'm going to have to put it off until the weekends- though I would write during the weekdays if I had time.  
  
For those who reviewed me: That you SO VERY MUCH! I love getting reviews and it encourages me to keep going! You are all wonderful people if only b/c you reviewed me!  
  
Here's the story:  
  
It had been three months since the wedding. Trunks and Pan were presently staying the prairie. It was a slightly cool night and the two were lying in silence, facing the fire. Trunks had his arms around Pan's waist and her head rested just under his chin. It felt so good to hold her. Life was perfect with Pan. Pan made everything perfect. They had had a few arguments, naturally, but they were small and quickly resolved. Trunks could not decide when he liked Pan best; when they were alone like this and sharing a comfortable silence, or when they two of them were sparring or playing and Trunks could hear Pan laugh. Either way, times were wonderful. He was content.  
  
"Trunks?" Pan whispered in the stillness of the night. She sounded subdued, almost frightened. What could scare her?  
  
"Yes Dearheart?"  
  
"I need to tell you about my past." Pan managed to sound resigned and confident at the same time and Trunks guessed that this had been bothering her for some time. She was obviously uncomfortable. He wanted to change that. He would do anything he could to make her happy. So, he would tell her about his past first, maybe then she would calm down. Or maybe then she would hate him.  
  
"No Pan, Let me tell you. I'm not really human I'm."  
  
"Trunks stop!" Pan cried out, frustrated. She turned over in his arms and Trunks could see tears welling in her soulful black eyes as she continued, "I know about your past! I know that you are half-saiya-jin and what a Saiya-jin is! I know you can transform and I know that your mother was Bulma and," Pan paused momentarily, taking a deep breath and shaking her tears away before whispering, "and I know that your Sensei was Gohan. Because," her voice dropped even quieter now and if Trunks had not had his Saiya-jin hearing he would not have heard her, "Gohan was my father."  
  
Pan buried her face in Trunks' chest and Trunks instinctively tightened his grip around her. Pan knew. Pan knew. She had known all along. She was a quarter Saiya-jin. Gohan was her father.  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
Gohan and Trunks were resting on by the fire the night before Gohan died.  
  
"Sensei, why do we fight?"  
  
"So that the human race will not die out."  
  
"But none of the humans care about us, or know that we exist! They are a stupid and pathetic race! They don't deserve our help!"  
  
Gohan chuckled, "You sounded like your father for a minute Trunks. Some humans are good, caring and strong people, like you mother."  
  
"But Sensei, I know my mother loves me, but is there anyone who loves you like she loves me?"  
  
Trunks could see a smile flit across his Sensei's face, "Yes Trunks, there is someone who loves me."  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
So Gohan had had a wife, who had had a baby girl. But why hadn't Pan told him about her father before?  
  
"Pan, why didn't you tell me earlier?"  
  
Pan turned her face sideways against Trunks' chest, her features solemn yet still marvelously beautiful as she spoke, "I don't know. I guess it was afraid it would change things between us. I didn't want to hurt you. Even after we had first met, I was beginning to love you, and I saw how you avoided certain things that I assumed reminded your of your past. I did not want to give you any pain. Trunks, tell me you still love me, please."  
  
"I will love you always, Heart-o-mine," He kissed the top of her ebony head, "Let's go to sleep now. We can talk about it some more in the morning."  
  
Trunks awoke to the smell of breakfast. Pan was cooking something, whatever she had been able to find that morning. It was getting harder and harder for them to forage for their food; they would have to visit the city soon and buy some to capsulize and save for when they might need it.  
  
Trunks walked over to where Pan was stirring their breakfast meal in the cauldron. The setup reminded him of the first time he had kissed her. He walked up behind her and slide his arms around her waist, giving her a light kiss on the neck.  
  
"Good morning My-heart. You have been busy."  
  
"I am just a good little wife cooking breakfast for her husband," Pan smiled. It was good to see her smile, "Our breakfast soup is ready. Bring me our bowls please, Love."  
  
Trunks brought over their two bowls. Each were about half the size of the cauldron, they had gotten tired of using normal bowls and having to keep refilling them so they had gotten the bigger ones. After filling the bowls, Trunks and Pan ate their breakfast at a small picnic table that was capsulizable, as was everything that they owned.  
  
"Pan," Trunks began after they had finished eating, "when we first met why did you want directions to West City?"  
  
"Before my mother died, she told me that Gohan had been training Trunks Briefs, son of Bulma Briefs who was the owner of Capsule Corporation in West City. She told me to go there and train. She knew I loved martial arts and there was only one person left who could teach me."  
  
"How did she know Gohan was dead?"  
  
"They formed a weak bond after they were married but it was only strong enough to tell her when he died."  
  
"How did your mother die?"  
  
"My mother had always hoped that she would see him again, that I would see him again. When he was destroyed, that hope disipated and she had no reason to live. I was old enough to take care of myself, so she allowed herself to get sick and join him in the Other World."  
  
Trunks quieted, slowly absorbing what Pan had told him before asking another question, "What was her name?"  
  
"Videl Satan. They had a chance meeting and fell in love as teens. Both had a sense of foreboding, they knew that evil was coming. Gohan knew that he would be on the front lines of the battle and married my mother. He told her his history and taught her a little about ki-training since she too was a fighter. Only a few weeks after they got married the Androids arrived and my father left to train you. He did not take Videl with him, fearing she would be seen by the androids and discovered as his weakness. She gave birth to me in hiding, he never knew I existed."  
  
"How can you not resent me for taking your father away from you?"  
  
Pan smiled sadly at Trunks and his heart ached at her pain. She spoke, "You were the world's only hope. Had he stayed, we all would have perished and you and I would never have met. I understand the necessity of his actions. It was not personal. Besides, you are too wonderful to hate, Gohan or no."  
  
"Where were you all those years?"  
  
"My mother and I went from place to place, hiding. Mostly, however, we stayed on small desert islands. They were one of the safest places. That was where I learned to swim and love the water."  
  
"When did you learn to fight?"  
  
"My mother began teaching me when I was very young. She was concerned for me and taught me everything she knew. I caught on very quickly and loved Martial Arts. She could not, unfortunently, teach me very much. She did not know how to fly and knew only what little Gohan had taught her about kis. She told me the stories my father had told her and I dreamed of the great warrior's that had once existed. I knew that all were gone but my father and you. My soul wish was to meet you."  
  
"Thank you for telling me Dearest, I am sorry that your life was as sorrowful as mine. I wish I could wish it away and give you your parents back."  
  
"Trunks," Pan's eyes sparkled and Trunks shivered, she was so beautiful, "you are wonderful! Simply wonderful! And you know what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I think I love you."  
  
They laughed together.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------- Okay, that is it for now. I hope you enjoyed! I know there was still VERY little conflict- fear not- I PROMISE there will be some in the next chapter, which should come very soon since I think I will have enough time to write it this weekend.. Trunks probably should have gotten mad at Pan for keeping all that from him or something- but it annoys me when peeps in stories get mad over silly things like that- so he was a doll and didn't really mind.  
  
Next chapter- Trunks grants Pan's greatest wish. (I'll give you a hint: time machine)  
  
PLEASE keep sending me reviews- they are wonderful! 


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